Mobile Robots : Inspiration to Implementation is one of our best
selling books and one of the most popular robotics titles ever. One of the reasons it is
so popular is that it describes a very clever little robot called "Rug Warrior".
The robot was originally developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for
use in robotics courses. The authors and the publisher of the book received so many
inquiries about the robot that they decided to offer it as a kit. The Rug Warrior kit is
one of the best selling robot kits ever. If you have been thinking about building a robot,
this is the kit for you!

Rug Warrior : Mobile Robot Kit

Rug Warrior is an autonomous mobile robot designed for educators,
researchers, and hobbyists. It is ideal for learning robotics, performing cooperative
agent research, experimenting with cutting-edge technology, or just having fun.

The kit supplies all the sensors, electronics, and mechanical hardware you need to
construct a custom designed, fully autonomous mobile robot. It is designed to go together
very easily because the tricky electronics parts are assembled and tested at the factory,
including the microprocessor, memory, and interface circuits. The rest of the electronics
components are easy to solder in place, even for a beginner.

Programming
Rug Warrior is programmed from your computer (either Mac or IBM PC compatible). Programs
for Rug Warrior are written in a powerful and easy-to-learn programming system;
Interactive C. The code is then downloaded to the robot via the serial port. Library
routines and self-test code are provided for all of Rug Warrior's standard sensors and
actuators. Also included is a demonstration program that exercises many of Rug Warriors
capabilities. Source code for all robot programs is included on a 3.5" disk.

Rug Warrior can be controlled directly from your computer's keyboard by typing
commands, or it can operate autonomously under the control of its on-board microprocessor.
The Interactive C programming environment makes it easy to test and debug any portion of
your robot program. Documentation for Interactive C is included.

SensorsThe Rug Warrior is packed with an amazing array of sensors to detect and react to
its environment. The robot can be programmed to explore your home and find its way with
its left and right visible light detectors. It will sense and avoid walls with its left
and right infrared obstacle illuminators and detector. If your cat decides to paw it, the
robot will detect it with the six-direction bump-sensing "full enclosure" skirt.
Left and right wheel encoders enables your robot to sense the distance it has covered and
the direction it is going. It can even be programmed to react to the sounds it hears with
its built-in microphone. Library functions simplify access to all sensors and actuators
and the self-test code provides examples of how to use the library functions.

FeedbackThe robot can let you
know what it is sensing and thinking with several feedback devices. An LED indicates a low
battery, and a piezo buzzer can be programmed to sound at a particular event or condition.
The 32 Character (2 lines x 16) Liquid Crystal Display is also very useful for debugging
and feedback.

ElectronicsThe "brains" of the robot is the versatile and powerful MC68HC11
microcontroller from Motorola. A time sharing operating system allows the execution of
parallel processes. One process may be used for motor control, while another independent
process is used for reading and processing sensor values. Wiring of sensors and actuators
is simplified with two ribbon cables.

Three analog input lines and three digital input lines are not committed to sensors in
the standard package. You can use these to customize your robot. The standard electronics
include a low-dropout Voltage regulator for logic supply and memory backup and a
low-voltage inhibit chip to resist memory corruption during transients.

Optional stackable expansion modules are available if you would like to add your own
custom circuitry to the robot. These boards plug right into the standard electronics board
for unlimited experimentation potential. See below for details.

MechanicsTwo high quality 6-Volt gear motors drive the dual 2.5" wheels. The robot
balances on a third wheel - a 1 inch Delrin caster. A transparent body or
"skirt" surrounds and protects the robot. The kit comes with a battery box to
hold a high capacity power pack, and all the mounting hardware you need to complete the
robot. All these components are assembled onto a custom chassis plate. When finished, your
robot will measure 7.3 inches in diameter and 4.75 inches tall. The Rug Warrior will
operate several hours on one battery charge.

Assembly
The assembly manual provides detailed instructions for installing the standard sensors and
support circuitry. Alternately, you can customize the board as desired. Diagnostic
software, included with the kit, helps builders discover any errors they might make as
subsystems are added. Experienced builders should be able to assemble all electronic and
mechanical components in a weekend.

Expandability
You can customize your robot in many ways. In addition to the RugEx stackable expansion
modules, the RugI/O Input Output Module enables the easy addition of extra sensors and
actuators. Also available is the RugBat Sonar Range Finder. RugBat consists of a sonar
transducer and the associated circuitry needed to perform real-time sonar ranging
measurements. By providing an accurate measure of the distance, sonar ranging allows a
robot to avoid nearby obstacles and to find long clear paths for navigation.

Join the ClubMobile Robots : Inspiration to Implementation was first published in 1993. It
became an immediate best seller in the field of hobby robotics. In 1994 the Rug Warrior
kits were made available to the public and they became the number one best selling kits
ever. In 1997 the kit was revised and updated and became known as "Rug Warrior
Pro" (all our descriptions refer to the latest version of the kit). In 1999 a new
edition of Mobile Robots : Inspiration to Implementation was published and it
sparked even more interest and sales of the Rug Warrior.

The generous array of sensors, and the ease of use and assembly have made the
Rug Warrior the number-one choice for people interested in robotics. Numerous universities
and research institutes also use the Rug Warrior. For example, the Institute for Parallel
and Distributed High Performance Systems at the University of Stuttgart uses 15 of these
robots for teaching lab courses in Mobile Robotics as well as for other research.

Optional ComponentsRug Warrior is currently offered in three different forms:Brains Kit -- Circuit board and all required sensors and electronic
components. Brawn Kit -- All the mechanical components. Full Rug Warrior Kit -- A combination of the Brains and Brawn kits.

Check below for the details, and choose the options that are right for you!

Rug Warrior Pro: The Brains

The Brains kit includes the circuit board and all required sensors and
electronic components. The Brains kit is shipped partially assembled -- critical logic,
memory, and interface components are factory installed and tested. So right out of the
box, Rug Warrior is ready to connect to your computer and accept programs. Sensors and
auxiliary circuitry are left to you to assemble from parts included in the kit. Full
instructions are provided in the accompanying Mobile Robot Assembly Guide.

The Brawn Kit includes motors, wheels, chassis, and transparent skirt --
all the components needed for building a versatile mobility platform. The Brawn Kit is
compatible with other popular robot circuit boards and single-board computers.

RugEx provides a 1.7 by 3 inch prototyping area with 466 plated
through-holes for designing and building your own electronic system. Standard stackable
connectors are included in addition to a full description of the expansion standard. Use
these stackable expansion modules to add your own electronics to the Rug Warrior.

RugI/O: Input Output Module enables the easy addition of extra
sensors and actuators. RugI/O simplifies the debugging and monitoring of these new
devices. Each RugI/O adds eight new input lines and eight new output lines to Rug Warrior
Pro. Stack as many as four RugI/O boards together.

The
RugBat Sonar Range Finder consists of a sonar transducer and all the associated circuitry
needed to perform real-time sonar ranging measurements. By providing an accurate measure
of distance, sonar ranging allows a robot to avoid nearby obstacles and to find long clear
paths for navigation.